Toy knockdown aeroplane



June 26, 1928.

R. E. CONWAY TUY KNOCKDOWN AEROPLANE 2 Sheets-$heet 1 Filed Nov. 25,1927 Arron/vars June 26, 1928.

R. E. CONWAY "IOY KNOCKDOWN AEROPLANE Filed Nov. 25,1927 2 Sheets-Sheet2 //\/ve/vroe.a KOBE/2T 5. cO/VWAK 5/ W Whit Patented June 26, 1928.

UNlTED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ROBERT E. CONWAY,,OF, HAMMOND, INDIANA, ASSIGNOR TO METALORAFT C0320-TIOIN, OFST. LOUIS, MISSOURI, A CORPORATION 01 MISSOURI.

TOY xnocxnown annornann.

Application filed November 25,1927. Serial No. 285,683.

This invention relates generally to toys, and more specifically to a toycomprising a plurality of separable partswhich ma be assembled toproduce toy aeroplanes o various types, the predominantobject of theinvention being to produce a toy which will' excite the interest andtest the'mechanical ingenuity of a child and in this manner serve toentertain him while increasing his knowledge of aeroplanes and directinghis ithoughts and activities ,along mechanical mes.

Briefly stated, the toy in its knock-down condition includes the variousparts from which the toy aeroplanes are produced and all of thenecessary bolts and nuts wh ch are used to secure the parts together.

By following the instruction sheet. which will accompany the toy, achild may construct, for instance, a bi-plane withthree engines, thistype of aeroplane necessitating the use of all of the parts of which thetoy is comprised; then by removing one aeroplanes, certain parts, alarge number 0 Fig. 2;

' gined monoplane may structed whereby a of the planes from thebi-plane, a three-enbe produced; and by removing some of the partsrepresenting the engines and propellers, a oneor two-engine bi-plane ormonoplane may be produced.

position of certain of the parts of the toy so as to producesea-planeswith pontoons attached thereto and bombers, certain of theparts which are used to represent parts of the engines in producing landplanes being transposed and utilized to represent the ontoons of thesea-plane and the bombs o the bombers.

By eliminating from use certain of the parts of the toy and transposing,in'the organization of the parts producing the toy different types ofaeroplanes ma be con-. toy is provi ed which serves as "a source ofentertainment and instruction to the youthful user thereof.

Figure 1 is a front view of a three-engined bi-plane, the constructionof which involves the use of all of the parts of my improved y;

Figure 2 is a view in sideelevat-ion of the toy aeroplane shown in Fig.1;

Figure 3 is a section on line 3 -3 of Figure 4 is-a sectional view on anenlarged scale taken on the line 4-.-4 of Fig. 1;

Figure 5 is a similarview taken on the line 5-5 of Fig. 1;

Figure 6 is a view of the various parts V of my improved toy, duplicateparts being omitted;

Flgures 7 8 9, 10, 11, 12 and 13 are diagrammatical views 1llustratingvarious types of aeroplanes which may be constructed and bottom walls,and an nd wall which is located at the tail of the aeroplane. When thepair of members 1 are assembled to produce a fuselage, said members arearranged so that the edges of the top and'bottom walls and the edges ofthe end walls of the associated members 1 are in contact with eachother, whereby a hollow body d is produced which is closed on all sideswith the exception of the forward end,

as shown in Fig. ,5. The members 1 are so shaped that a fuselage isprovided which is tapered .toward the smaller rear end thereof. Themembers 1 of the fuselage A'are held togetherat the forward end of saidfuselage b. a cap 2 which is of suchdimensions t at it fits over theforward endv portions of the associated members 1, as shown in Fig. 5,said capbeing provided with ears 3, and said cap and members 1 bein he dand nut associated therewith which i passes transversely through thefuselage and extends through the side walls of the members 1 and throughthe ears 3 of the cap 2.

The members 1 of the fuselage are held toether at the rear end of thetoy aeroplane a bolt 5 which also serves to secure a pair ofbraces 6 tothe fusela e, said bolt havin a head and being provi ed witha nut anbeing extended through the side walls of the members 1 and throughsaidbraces, as shown in Fig. 3. The braces 6 are flared outwardly fromthe fuselage atLtheir upper ends and are attached at their u per ends bymeans of bolts to a member 7 w 10h represents the elevators of the toyaeroplane,

secured together by a bolt 4 having a said member 7 resting on the topsurface of the fuselage and being held in place by'said braces 6.Beneath the rear end of the fuselage A, the braces 6 are bent towardeach other and interposed between said in-- wardly bent portions of saidbraces is the rear ground wheel 8 of the aeroplane, there being a bolt 9passed through said braces on which said ground wheel is rotatablymounted.

Located at the rear portion of the fuselage is a member 10 which reresents the rudder of the toy aeroplane, sai member 10 having a portion11 which overlaps the member 7 and a portion 12 which passes into theinterior of the fuselage and is provided with an aperture through whichthe bolt passes, whereby said member is held in place, the rear walls ofthe members 1 being cut away sufliciently to permit said portion 12 topass between said rear walls into the interior of the fuselage.

Referring now to the front portion of the aeroplane, 13 designates theupper plane and 14 designates the lower plane thereof, the planes 13 and14 preferably comprise flat strips of material, the top plane-bein incontact with the top surface of the fuse a e and the lower plane beingin contact with t e bottom surface of said fuselage. The lanes 13 and 14are held in place by a lura it of struts or braces, a pair thereo whicis designated by the reference character 15, being secured at their oposite ends by means of bolts 16 to the top p ane 13. The struts 15,asshown in Figs. 2 and 4, are spaced apart transversely of. the planes13 and 14, each of said struts having angularly arranged portions 16which pass inwardly and downwardly from the to plane 13 toward the lowersurface of the uselage A, and the lower ends of the angularly arrangedportions of each of said struts 15 being joine by a straight portion 17,which is in contact with the lower surface of the fuselage. 18designates a pair of braces which extend from the angular portions 16 ofone of the struts 15 to the side walls of the fuselage, each of saidbraces 18 bein secured at its opposite ends by means of be ts to one ofthe angularly arranged portions 16' of a strut 15 and to a side wall ofthe fuselage, respectively, whereby the strut 15 with which said braces18 are associated is connected rigidly to the fuselage.

19 designates a member which serves as the undercarriage of the toyaeroplane, said member having the general shape of a letter W, as shownclearly in Fig. 1. The two outer legs of the member 19 are secured attheir upper ends to the forward strut 15, this at tachment beinefi'ecte-d by the same bolts which secure t e braces 18 to said strut15. The outer legs of the member 19 pass downwardly from the forwardstrut 15 and through a ertures 20 in the lower plane 14, said mem erbeing bent upwardly at the lower ends of the'outer legs thereof towardthe fuselage. and bein provided with a straight portion 21 whic isarranged in contact with the lower surface of said fuselage. Rotatablmounted on bolts 22 attached to the mem er 19 is a pair of circularelements 23 representing the ground wheels of the aeroplane. Locatedadjacent to the outer ends of the planes 13 and 14 are pairs of braces24 each of which is attached at its opposite ends to said upper andlower plane, respectively.

Extended through an a erture in the cap 2 located at the forward end ofthe fuselage A and projected forwardly from said'cap is a bolt 25 (Fig.5), said bolt having a head at its forward end and being rovided with anut at its rearmost end. 26 esignates a cupshaped member having an endwall 27 and an annular wall 28, said end wall bein provided with anaperture throu h whidli the bolt 25 passes, whereby sai cup-shapedmember is supported on said bolt. 29 designates a mem erhavingbeapproximately the same shape as the mem r 26, said member 29having an end wall rovided with an aperture through which .t e bolt 25passes, but instead of having a solid annular wall, as has the member26, the member 29 is provided with a plurality of cars which arearranged at an approximate right angle to the end wall of said member.29 is of greater diameter than the member 26 and when the parts referredto are in their assembled positions, the member 26 is located within themember 29, as shown in Fig. 5. The angularly arranged cars 30 of themember 29 are provided each with an aperture, as shown clearly in Fig.6, and extended through each of said apertures is a bolt 31,

1 said bolts being so arranged with respect to the members 26 and 29that the head portions thereof are confined between the outer face ofthe annular wall 28 of the member 26 and the inner faces of theangularly arranged ears 30 on the member 29, and the threaded portionsof said bolts extend outwardly radially from said cars 30. The members26 and 29 and the bolts 30 are intended to repre-. sent an internalcombustion engine of the radial type ordinarily used on aeroplanes,

the radially arranged bolts representing the radial cylinders of theengine, and the screwthreads on the bolts representing the cooling finson the engine cylinders. a sleeve which surrounds theouter portion ofthe bolt 25,; and 33 designates a semi- -spherical cap or nose portionwhich is mounted on the bolt 5 at the outer end thereof, the .wall ofsaid cap or nose portion having an aperture formed therethrough throughwhich said bolt passes. The inner edge of the cap or nose portion 33 isspaced apart slightly The member 32 designates from the end wall of themember 29, and rotatably mounted on the sleeve 32 so that it will rotatein said space is a member 34 which is provided with outwardly extendedwing portions whereby same resembles a propeller. It will be noted byreferring to Fig. that when the nut at the inner end portlon of the bolt25 is moved inwardly with respect to said bolt, the members 26 and 29,sleeve 32 and cap 33 are all drawn into close conrear end by asemi-spherical cap 37 and at its forward end each cylindrical element isprovided withthe organization of parts al ready described, which producea structure resembling and representing an internal combustion enginehaving radial cylinders and having a propeller associated therewith;that is to say, each of said cylindrical elements 35 is provided at itsforward end with members 38 and 39 of the same'construction andarrangement as the members 26 and 29 already described, a sleeve 40, acap 41, a

-' member 42 rotatably mounted on the sleeve '40 and resembling in shapea propeller, and

bolts 43. The caps 37 and 41 associated with each of the cylindricalelements 35 are drawn together by a bolt 44 which extends longi-.tudinally through each of said cylindrical elements, whereby said capsand the assoclated elements other than thenmember 42 are rigidly held infixed positions. In 0on nection with the parts associated with thecylindrical elements 35, inward movement of the members 39 is preventedby the heads of the bolts 43. contacting with the forward edges of thecylindrical elements 35.

Thus far, I have described only one type of aeroplane toy, namely thethree-en ined bi-plane, and as has been already state it is possiblebyomitting certain of the parts or' transposing certain parts in theorganizat1on of parts, toconstruct a number of different types ofaeroplanes. For instance, if it were desired to construct athree-engined monoplane such as that shown diagrammatically in Fig. 7,it would be merely necessary to dispense with the use of the lower plane14 and the braces 24 at the outer ends of the. planes, while if atwo-engined monoplane such as that shown in Fi 9 were desired, themembers 26 and 29, t e screws 31, the propeller 34, and the sleeve 32would be omitted and the cap '33 would be drawn rear wardly by screwingthe nut inwardly on the bolt 25 until the edge of said cap contacts withthe cap 2. Also, a one-engined monoplane such as that shOWn in Fig. 10may be constructed by omitting the cylindrical elements 35 and the partsassociatedtherewith.

In like manner, it is possible to construct different types ofaeroplanes by transposing certain of the parts. For instance, aoneengined sea-plane, either monoplane or biplane, ma be constructed byomitting the ground w eels 23 and attaching the cylindrical elements,which are closed at their oppositeends by the caps 37 and 41 and arewithout the engine parts and propellers, to

the member 19, as shown in Figs. 8 and 13.-

In accordance with this arrangement the cylindrical elements 35represent the pontoons of the sea-plane.

Also, if it is desired to construct a bomber, the cylindrical elements35 without the engine parts andpropellersare attached as shown in Fig.'12, while if a bi-plane bomber were to be constructed, the cylindricalelements 35 would be attached as shown in Fig. 11." Also the cylindricalelements 35 ma represent auxiliary fuel tanks when attac ed to theplanes.

' In like manner, a great number of types of aeroplanes may beconstructed by merely omitting some of the parts or 'transposing certainof the parts, it having been found that an excess of fifteen types maybe made, and, therefore, a great amount of amusement and instruction isafforded in the use of my improved toy.

I claim 1. A toy aeroplane having an assembly of parts representing amotor, said parts including an annular member, and bolts extendedradially therefrom simulating motor cylinders, said bolts' beingprovided with exposed screwthreads simulating cooling fins on the motorcylinders.

2. A toy aeroplane having an assembly of parts representing a motor,said parts includlng a member providedwith an annular wall, a secondmember having portions arranged parallel with-the annular wall of thefirst mentioned member, and a plurality of members representing theradial motor cylinders extending outwardly through apertures 1n thealined portions of the second mentioned member, said members representmgthe motor cylinders having head portions which are confined between theannular wall of the first mentioned member and the parallel portions ofthe second mentioned member.

3. A toy aeroplane having an assembly of arts representing a motor, saidparts inclu ing' a member provided'with an annular wall, a second memberhaving portions ar ranged parallel with the annular wall of the firstmentioned member, a plurality of screwthreaded bolts representing radialmotor cylinders extended outwardly through apertures in the alinedportions of the second mentioned member, the head portions of said boltsbeing confined between the annular wall of the first mentioned memberand the parallel portions of the second mentioned member, a memberrepresenting a propeller, and a support for the last mentioned member onwhich same is rotatably mounted.

4. A toy aeroplane having an assembly of parts representing a motor,said parts including a member provided with an annular wall, a secondmember having portions arranged parallelwith the annular wall of thefirst mentioned member, a plurality of screwthrea-ded bolts representingradial motor cylinders extended outwardly through apertures in thealined portions of the second mentioned member, the head portions ofsaid bolts being confined between the annular wall of the firstmentioned member and the parallel portions of the second mentionedmember, a member representing a propeller, a sleeve located adjacent tothe first and second mentioned members on which said propeller isrotatably mounted, and a bolt extended through said sleeve and throughapertures in the walls of said first and second mentioned members tomaintain said parts in their proper positions. a

5. A toy aeroplane provided with a plane, a cylindrical member attachedto said plane, an assembly of parts at one end of said cylindricalmember representing a motor, said parts including a plurality ofradially arranged screwthreaded bolts simulating radial motor cylindershaving cooling fins thereon, a rotatably mounted member representing apropeller, a cap adjacent to said propeller, a second cap at the end ofthe cylindrical member opposite to the end thereof at which the assemblyof motor parts is located, and a bolt extended longitudinally throughsaid cylindrical member to maintain 11 their proper positions the partsassociated with said cylindrical mem- 6. A toy aeroplane provided with afuselage, a member at the tail end of said fuselage simulating theelevators of an aeroplane, braces attached-to said member and in contactwith a portion of said fuselage, said braces having portions arranged inspaced relation beneath said fuselage, a ground contacting memberlocated between said s aced portions of said braces, a fastening eviceextended through said fuselage and through said braces for securing thebraces to the fuselage, and a fastening member for securing said groundcontacting member to the spaced portions of said braces.

7. A toy aeroplane comprising a fuselage, a plane arranged to rest uponsaid fuselage at'the top surface thereof, and a member simulatingstruts, for said plane, said member comprising a rigid element securedat its opposite ends to said plane and being arranged in contactintermediate of its ends with the lower surface of said fuselage.

8. A toy aeroplane comprising a fuselage, a plane arranged to rest uponsaid fuselage at the top surface thereof, and a member for simulatingdiagonal struts common to many full size aeroplanes, said member beingsecured at its opposite ends to said plane and having inclined portionsrepresenting the diagonal struts extended downwardly from the points atwhich said member is secured to said plane, and said member beingprovided with a portion arranged in contact with the lower surface ofsaid fuselage.

9. A toy aeroplane comprising a fuselage,

a plane arranged to rest upon said fuselage 10. A toy aeroplane having afuselagecomprising a plurality of separable, longitudinal elementsassembled to produce said fuselage, a cap at one end of said fuselagearranged to embrace the adjacent end portions of said separable elementsin a manner to maintain said separable elements in their assembledcondition, and means at the oppo site end of said fuselage for aidingsaid cap in maintaining the separable elements com prising the fuselagein their assembled condition.

1-1. A toy aeroplane comprising a fuselage, a plane arranged to restupon said fuselage at the top surface thereof, a member simulatingstruts for said plane, said member being secured at its opposite ends tosaid plane and being arranged in contact intermediate its ends with thelower surface of said fuselage, and an assemblage of parts representinga motor supported by said plane.

12. A toy aeroplane comprising a fuselage, a plane arranged to rest uponsaid fuselage at the top surface thereof, a member simulating struts forsaid plane, said member being secured at its opposite ends to said planeand being arranged in contact intermediate its ends with the lowersurface of said fuselage, and an assemblage of parts representing amotor supported by said plane, said assemblage of parts representingmotors being secured to the plane by the devices which secure. saidlage, a lower plane arranged in contact with the lower surface of thefuselage, and means for maintaining said lower plane in its properposition.

14. A toy aeroplane comprising a fuselage, an upper plane arranged torest upon said fuselage at the top surface thereof, a member forsimulating diagonal struts common to many full size aeroplanes, saidmember being secured at its opposite ends to said plane and havinginclined portions representing the diagonal struts extended downwardlyfrom the points at which said strut is. secured to said plane, and saidmember being provided with a portion arranged in contact with the lowersurface of said fuselage, a lower plane arranged in contact with thelower surface of said fuselage, and braces for securing said lower planeto said upper plane.

15. A toy aeroplane comprising a fuselage, an upper plane arranged torest upon said fuselage at the top surface thereof, a member forsimulating diagonal struts common to many full size aeroplanes,saidmember being secured at its opposite ends to said plane and havinginclined portions representing the diagonal struts extended downwardlyfrom the points at which said member is secured to said plane, and saidmember being provided with a portion arranged in contact with the lowersurface of said fuselage, a lower plane arranged in contact with thelower surface gt said fuselage, braces for securing said lower planetosaid uppervplane, and elements representing parts of an aeroplanestructure secured to said lower plane.

16. A toy aeroplane comprising a fuselage, an upper plane arranged torest upon said fuselage at the top surface thereof, a mem ber forsimulating diagonal struts common to many full size-aeroplanes, saidmember being secured at itsopposite ends to said plane and havinginclined portions repre- -senting the diagonal struts extendeddownwardly from the points at which said member is secured to said planeand said mem her being provided with a portion arranged in contact withthe lower surface of said fuselage,- a lower plane arranged in contactwith the lower surface of said fuselage,

undercarriage to simulate a means for maintaining said lower plane inits proper position, an element simulating the undercarriage of anaeroplane secured to said member and extended through apertures in saidlower plane, and supporting devices fixed to said element.

" 17. A toy aeroplane comprisinga fuselage,

a plane arranged immediately above said fuselage, and a strut formaintaining said plane in position with respect to said fuselage, saidstrut being secured at its opposite ends to said plane and havinginclined portions extended downwardly from the points at which saidstrut is secured to said plane,

andsaid strut being provided with a portion in contact with the lowersurface of said fuselage.

18. A toy aeroplane comprising a fuselage,

a plane arranged immediately above said fuselage, diagonal struts forsaid plane, members comprising the undercarriage of the toy aeroplanefixed to said struts intermediate the upper and lower ends thereof andextending downwardly from said struts, and supporting devices for thetoy aeroplane secured to the lower ends of said members.

19. A toy aeroplane provided with a fuselage, a member at the tail-endof said fuselage simulating the elevators of an aeroplane, elementsextended downwardly from said member, said elements being spaced apartfrom each other transversely of the fuselage at their lower ends, aground wheel interposed between said spaced-apart lower portions of saidelements, and means extended through saidelements and through saidground wheel at the center thereof, whereby. said ground wheel isrotatably supported.

20. A toy aeroplane comprising a fuselage, an upper plane arrangedimmediately above said fuselage members simulating struts for saidplane, an element simulating an undercarriage of an aeroplane, a lowerplane arranged beneath said fuselage, and a member simulating a port-ionof a motor, a bomb, a pontoon, and an auxiliary fuel tank, said memberbeing provided with an aperture to receive attaching means and saidupper plane, said lower plane, and said undercarriage likewise beingprovided with apertures to receive attaching means whereby said membermay be attached to said'upper or lower plane to simulate a part of amotor, a bomb or an auxiliary fuel tank, and to said ontoon.

21. A toy aeroplane comprising a fuselage, a plane arranged immediatelyabove. said fuselage, a member for simulating dia onal struts common tomany full size aerop anes, said member being secured at itsopposite endsto said plane and having inclined portions representing the diagonalstruts ex tended downwardly from the points at which said member issecured to the said plane,

and said member being provided with a. portion arranged in contact withthe lower surface of said fuselage, elements'comprising theundercarriage of the toy aeroplane aflixed to said member and extendeddownwardly therefrom, and supporting devices for the toy aeroplanesecured to the lower ends of said elements. I

22. A toy aeroplane comprising a fuselage, a plane arranged immediatelyabove said fuselage, members simulating struts for said plane, anelement simulating an undercarriage of an aeroplane, and a membersimulating a portion of a motor, a bomb, a pontoon and an auxiliary fueltank, said member being provided with an aperture to receive fasteningmeans and said plane and said element simulating the undercarriagelikewise being provided with apertures to receive fastenin means,whereby said member may be attached to said plane to simulate a part ofa motor, a bomb, a pontoon or an auxiliary fuel tank and to said elementsimulating the undercarriage to simulate a pontoon.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand;

ROBERT E. CONWAY.

